A climate activist who glued himself to a Vincent Van Gogh painting has been jailed after being found guilty of criminal damage.

The court heard Louis McKechnie, 22 and from Weymouth, seemingly compare his actions to those of Martin Luther King.

He faced a criminal damage charge alongside his co-defendant Emily Brocklebank, 24, after the pair glued themselves to Van Gogh’s 1889 work Peach Trees In Blossom at the Courtauld Gallery, on the Strand, on June 30.

Giving evidence, McKechnie had argued: “I believe that a completely logical person who is not a psychopath who owns a painting of this value by Vincent Van Gogh would have respected the artist’s wishes.

“He said himself that the art of nature is not as valuable as nature itself.”

Francesca Cociani, defending the pair, said McKechnie believed an owner who “respected the wishes of the painter” would have “consented to minor damage”.

The judge did not allow her to ask the defendant if he thinks the painter would agree with the cause.

Mr Bryan said in response: “Van Gogh may have agreed with your actions but we don’t know because we can’t ask him.”

Asked if the protests were receiving public support, McKechnie said: “In 1960, Martin Luther King was the most hated man in America.

“The civil rights movement still worked.

“It’s not a popularity contest – people don’t have to like what we’re doing.”

Sentencing the pair at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, November 23, District Judge Neeta Minhas said: “An 18th century frame which is hundreds of years old has been permanently damaged.

“It is not in a state where it can return to its original state.”

She added: “The painting has significant, historical and art value and I consider the damage to be substantial.

“It is not minor, insignificant, temporary or trivial.”

CCTV footage showed the activists walking in the building at about 3.30pm after purchasing tickets for an exhibition.

They then took off their jackets to reveal orange Just Stop Oil T-shirts and attached themselves to the artwork.

Brocklebank, from Yeadon, Leeds, who appeared in person, and McKechnie, who appeared in custody from HMP Peterborough, had denied the charges.

McKechnie was jailed for three weeks, Brocklebank received a 21-day sentence, suspended for six months. She was given an electronically monitored six-week curfew.